Review: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
Published by HarperTeen on December 31, 2013
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the author
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

The Promise of Amazing was a fun, cute read that will leave you wanting more! For those of you who know me, I’m not big on YA contemporary. It’s just too.. rainbows and kittens for my taste. But The Promise of Amazing surprised me in such a good way!

Wren was a great character. I found her to be real, down-to-earth and relatable. There’s a big thing in the beginning where Wren talks about being quiet – how being quiet is not a conscious protest, nor a character flaw that can be fixed. As someone who was really shy and quiet in high school, I know exactly what Wren was dealing with. People thought I was a snob because I didn’t speak to them – one friend told me I was being called something much worse, even. But I was just painfully shy. I didn’t like to speak up in class. I didn’t like to raise my hand and draw attention to myself. So, right off the bat, Wren felt like someone I wanted to be friends with because I could relate to her situation. Wren grows a lot throughout the story, though. She starts out very quiet and timid and becomes very outspoken, refusing to be remembered as the one who didn’t speak up.

The story also hit close to home because of things Wren’s family was dealing with financially. My family and I had a similar situation and it was really tough. I even had the same thoughts Wren had regarding her future and what she wanted to do with her life after high school/college. It was kind of hard to read those parts, but it made me connect more with the book.

Grayson was great, though a little bit cliche in the beginning – the golden boy who could do no wrong until he was de-throned for doing bad things. But he was so hot, cocky (in a playful way) and hysterical, I was able to overlook that. He also grows a lot as a person throughout the book and I love how much he matures by the end. Also? The creative swear words he and his friends came up with had me cracking up! At one point, Grayson even calls himself a male slut! Bahahahaha!

I’m not a huge fan of insta-love, but it works for Wren and Grayson and it feels so realistic. Their relationship has its ups and downs – I mean, Grayson nearly died, so that was a bit of a downer. I love the little bit of a role reversal in the beginning, too. Without being spoilery, something that usually happens to the female character ended up happening to the male character and it was really refreshing!

I enjoyed seeing all the family dynamics, with both Wren’s family and Grayson’s family. I loved Wren’s friends, Jazz and Maddie, but disliked Grayson’s friends, who were constantly trying to bring Grayson back into a life he was trying to leave behind. I especially despised Luke.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down! From start to finish, it was a fun, realistic read that had me rooting for a happy ending. Robin Constantine is definitely a debut author worth watching out for! I can’t wait to read more of her amazing (see what I did there?) stories!

Review: Seven Minutes in Heaven by Sara Shepard

Nov11

Seven Minutes in Heaven by Sara Shepard
Series: The Lying Game #6
Published by HarperTeen on July 30, 2013
Pages: 371
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

My sister wants the truth.

But sometimes the truth hurts.

For months, my long-lost twin, Emma, has been living my life and trying to solve my murder. She's unearthed dark secrets about my friends, my family, and my tangled past. But when it comes to finding my killer, she keeps running into dead ends.

Until my body shows up in Sabino Canyon. Suddenly everyone knows there are two girls who look like Sutton Mercer—and that one of them is dead. At first the police assume the body is Emma's. But as questions and accusations start flying, it's harder than ever for Emma to keep playing me. The truth is bound to come out eventually. And when it does, Emma will be suspect number one in my murder investigation. If she can't find my killer before time runs out, she'll end up behind bars . . . or worse.

Sara Shepard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars books, finally reveals the shocking truth about Sutton's murder in this riveting novel about secrets, lies, and killer consequences.

Warning: This review contains some spoilers – nothing huge or major, but some (potentially) minor spoilers.

I’m normally very character-driven in my reviews; however, since the murderer is revealed in this book, it’s hard to go into detail about what I liked/disliked about the characters without accidentally revealing who did it. So please be patient with me while I try to dance around that!

I started out reading Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars series. I enjoyed them, but they weren’t amazing – and the series has been dragged out for way too long. So I was skeptical when it came to picking up The Lying Game. It took a long time for me buy the first two books. When I finally bought them, though, I read them back-to-back and I was so impressed!

Though the books are a little bit repetitive, and the series likely could have ended sooner than book 6, I still really enjoyed reading them. I loved the little bit of a supernatural element they had – though I wish we had gotten more of an explanation for it and how it was possible, etc – and I loved the twists and turns the series took. Some were cliche and predictable, others were shocking, unexpected and heart-breaking.

As far as final books go, Seven Minutes in Heaven kept me guessing until the very end. Throughout the series, multiple suspects and motives were brought to light. It was really hard to know who to trust, even after Emma and Ethan had deemed someone to be innocent. I kept coming up with new theories as to who did it, both throughout the series and throughout this final book. I didn’t like or trust Garrett, but I didn’t believe he did it, though all the evidence led to him. Every other chapter, I changed my mind on who I thought the murderer was. Sometimes I went back and forth, taking someone off the suspect list, only to put them back on a few chapters later. I kept crossing my fingers, hoping it wasn’t characters I had come to really like, like Laurel, Thayer or one of Sutton’s friends. I tried to brace myself, just in case, though.

I even came up with some truly wild theories, like maybe it was just an accident or maybe it was… self-inflicted. I even wondered if Sutton was still alive somewhere, in a coma or kidnapped or something crazy like that.

One thing that frustrated me, though, was something I notice a lot in YA novels… Why are the cops always dirty or crooked? Or made to look that way, at least. They always seem suspicious, like the MC shouldn’t trust them. And they never, ever believe the MC. No matter how believable he or she is, the cop always thinks the MC is lying. Really frustrating! I get why it has to be that way – if the cops trusted the MC, then they would follow up on the leads the MC provides and the crime or crimes would get solved faster and there would be no story. But there’s got to be a better way to deal with that!

I felt so bad for Emma throughout the whole book. It was so heartbreaking to see the way she was treated and the things she had to go through. I didn’t want the killer to be who it was… I didn’t believe it until the very last possible second and then I realized it was true. Yet, even then, I still didn’t want it to be true!! I was so sad when this information was revealed!! But honestly… It kind of makes me want to re-read the entire series now, to see if I can pick up on little things I missed the first time around.

The end made me cry … Several times, actually. But it was perfect and amazing and desperately needed. By the end, pretty much all the unanswered questions have answers. There are a few lose ends, which makes me wonder if it was left open for a potential sequel or spin-off down the road. But all in all, I really enjoyed it!

On Meredith’s Mind (#1): The End is Here! For certain series’, that is!

Nov8

The other day, I was re-organizing my books and I realized I have a LOT of books sitting in my TBR piles that are the final book in a series. Some of them are just trilogies, and others are a part of a long series that I invested a lot of time (and years) into. Either way, for one reason or another, they just got pushed further down my TBR and I never got around to them.

So, in no particular order, here are the ones I’m most desperate to finally read:

Title: Seven Minutes in Heaven
Author: Sara Shepard
Series: The Lying Game (#6)
Publication: July 30, 2013

I was never a huge Pretty Little Liars fan. I started reading them because I wanted to watch the show (which.. never really happened either.. Whoops!). And then Sara Shepard released The Lying Game series. I was really torn about buying them. They looked interesting, but she was dragging PLL out so much and they weren’t as good as when the series first came out, so it made me a little bit skeptical when it came to The Lying Game. I ended up buying the first book in Borders for about 40% off between coupons and my membership. But I never read it. And then book two came out around the time Borders announced it was closing. I wasn’t sure about buying it, since I hadn’t read book one yet. But it was 30% off. I decided to wait and see if the price went down as it got closer to the store closing. And it did. I snagged it for about 50% off. I read the first and second books back-to-back and fell in love.

The Lying Game is way, way better than Pretty Little Liars (no offense to PLL fans). It’s a murder mystery with a supernatural element to it and it’s fascinating. I’m so sad I haven’t read Seven Minutes in Heaven yet because it will answer all the remaining questions. I’m dying (pun intended) to know who the killer is and see how it all plays out. I’m truly hoping to get to this one in the next few weeks!

Title: Winds of Salem
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Series: The Beauchamp Family (#3)
Publication: August 13, 2013

I’m a little confused with this one. I’ve heard that, while it’s the final book in the trilogy, it is NOT the final book in the series. I’m not sure what that means, but I’m eager to find out! For now, I consider this the final book. I’ve always been a Melissa de la Cruz fan. I loved her Blue Bloods books so much! So when she decided to tackle an adult Science Fiction book, I was game! I really enjoyed the first two and, since I’m fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials, I have a feeling Winds of Salem is going to be my favorite in the series, by far! I’m really hoping to get to it before the year is out!

Also, for those who don’t know, The Witches of East End is now a television show on Lifetime. It’s very different from the books, but so far, it’s really awesome and you should definitely check it out!

Title: Awaken
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: Abandon Trilogy (#3)
Publication: July 2, 2013

If someone were to ask me who my favorite author was, I’d reply: Meg Cabot. And for those of you who know me, I’m a HUGE fan of Greek mythology (just look at my blog’s name!). So it should come as no surprise that I’ve absolutely been LOVING Meg Cabot’s Abandon Trilogy, which is a modern take on the Persephone myth. The first two books were awesome and I’m dying to see how it all ends. But, unfortunately, I haven’t been able to read it yet. To be honest, I feel like a bad Meg Cabot fan because I didn’t even BUY Abandon until August or September. Normally, I buy Meg Cabot’s new books on release day, and finish them two or three days later. So the fact that it’s October and I still haven’t read it? Bad, bad Mer! This one is top priority for when I get around to all the books on this lovely list!

Title: Daylighters
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: The Morganville Vampires (#15)
Publication: November 5, 2013

I have a lot of mixed feelings about the Morganville Vampires series. It was amazing in the beginning, but it hit a snag and there were a couple books that were just so so. I pushed through, though, because I love the characters. The plot wasn’t always amazing, but the characters felt like friends and I still cared about them and worried about them, as if they were real people. And I’m so, so glad I kept with it, because the last two or three books – but the last two especially – were amazing!!! They breathed new life (hahaha, sorry, couldn’t help myself) into the series and Daylighters looks like it’s going to be an epic, amazing, incredible conclusion. It just released, so I don’t feel as guilty as with the others books on this list. But I still really want to get to it and see how it all ends – even if I’m a little scared!

Title: ArchEnemy
Author: Frank Beddor
Series: The Looking Glass Wars (#3)
Publication: October 15, 2009

*Clears throat.. Stares at publication date… hangs head.* I’m feeling some major guilt on this one. Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I love, love, LOVE Alice in Wonderland retellings. And this one was one of the first I ever read. I loved it and it was just… Loved. You guys should seriously read it!

Sooo… If I loved the series so much, you ask, why did I never read the final book in the trilogy? Well… The first book, The Looking Glass Wars, was published in 2006. And then the second book, Seeing Redd, was published in 2007. And then nothing. Nothing for two whole years. And back in 2006-2009, I didn’t know about Goodreads and I certainly didn’t know about blogs. I would check author websites occasionally, but other than that… I had no idea how to go about searching for news of the third book. To be honest, I assumed something had happened and it was just never published. I gave up hope. And then, one day on a family vacation, I stumbled upon book three! But after two years, I didn’t remember enough to read the final book without re-reading the first two. And at the time, I had so much else to read.. I put it on the back-burner and just never went back to it.

Now I really, really want to finally read it. I want to re-read the first two and so I can finally read the third. Desperately. Splintered by A.G. Howard has re-awakened my love for Alice in Wonderland retellings, and I’m really hoping I can finally finish The Looking Glass Wars after all these years!

Title: The Book of Dreams
Author: O.R. Melling
Series: The Chronicles of Faerie (#4)
Publication: May 1, 2009

This series has a similar story to Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars. I’m pretty sure this series was the very first one I ever read with faeries. And I loved them! Very, very much! They are more like companion books in a series than actual sequels, and each book deals with a different heroine. Except.. the Book of Dreams has the same heroine as the third book, The Light-Bearer’s Daughter. So… again, you ask, if I loved the first three books so much, why did I never get around to the fourth and final book? Like with The Looking Glass Wars, the fourth book in The Chronicles of Faerie came out two years after the third book released and I just didn’t remember enough to read the final book without re-reading the entire series – Granted, I probably only had to re-read the third book to read the fourth, but I really wanted to read them all again. And I just.. didn’t have the time.

I do hope I’ll get to read The Book of Dreams soon. It was an amazing series and I’d love to finally see how it ends after all these years.

***

And there you have it. The six books that end a series, that I have yet to read and am dying to get to. I’m sure there are more. If I took another look around my room, or went downstairs and checked the books I have in my family room or went up to my attic to check all the bins up there, I’m sure I’d find more. But for now, these are the ones I’m the most desperate to finish. These are/were some of my favorite series and I’m ashamed of myself for not finishing them sooner.

So talk to me, guys: Do you have a series (or a bunch of series) that you have yet to complete? Is it just one book holding you back from finishing the series, like with all the ones I mentioned above? Or are you several books behind on a beloved series? Share it with me in the comments!

And, since this is my first “On Meredith’s Mind,” I would love feedback on what you thought of it!

Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth (Contains Spoilers)

Nov5

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #3
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on October 22, 2013
Pages: 526
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.
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Seriously.. Stop RIGHT HERE if you don’t want to be spoiled!
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Okay. So.. I finished Allegiant a few days after it came out, and I’ve been trying – and failing – to figure out how to put into words how I felt about it. I want to note that I DID NOT read Allegiant with writing a review in mind. I actually had planned NOT to review it. But… I have so many feels, I kind of can’t help but write one. I feel like I need it… Closure, you know? Well, if you’ve read it, you know. And if you haven’t read it… WHY ARE YOU READING THIS? SPOILERS AHEAD! FAIR WARNING, GUYS!

One other thing I want to say before I start the “official” review is.. I’m pretty sure I’m going to fangirl and spew random thoughts and such. I’m also sure I’m going to forget to discuss several important points in the book. This will likely be my LEAST professional, LEAST put-together review. Ever. So… Please ignore my random ramblings and forgive me if I make no sense. Again.. I didn’t take any notes or anything. I hadn’t planned to review, so I don’t remember all the little details I’d like to chat about. I’ll do my best.

ONE LAST SPOILER WARNING.

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I’m not even sure where to start. SO I guess I’ll start with the factions. I actually really enjoyed the factions. I loved the concept of them and what each one stood for. I feel like the faux-science-genetic-explanation of the factions in Allegiant was a cope out. It didn’t seem plausible and it didn’t make sense. Honestly.. at the end of Insurgent, the video Tris sees with Edith Prior.. If they had followed that concept through, it would have been pretty epic and awesome! But the idea Roth went with instead? Sigh.

Tris herself… She frustrated me a lot. I loved her in Divergent. She annoyed me in Insurgent. And I just wanted to punch her in Allegiant. She goes from being careless, risking her life in stupid ways in Insurgent to being stupid and thinking she knows everything in Allegiant. She’s stubborn and fights with Four about the dumbest things.

And don’t even get me started on Four. First of all, his POV was mostly pointless. I know everyone is swooning over him and thinks it’s great we get to see inside his head in Allegiant. But if we weren’t told in the chapter headers who was speaking, it wouldn’t be obvious. Tris and Four’s voices are so similar, you can’t tell them apart. There’s nothing distinct about either character.

Several characters get killed off, some that had been with the series since Divergent. Their loss was felt pretty badly. It was painful, especially with one character – And I’m talking secondary characters right now. I’m getting to that other one… But honestly, most of the secondary characters didn’t really.. do much in Allegiant. They weren’t significant and were almost like background noise, unfortunately. Plus, there was no character development with the characters introduced in Allegiant. They were just there to flesh out the plot and move the story along.

There are a lot of themes relating to choices and sacrifice and what family means. It kind of felt forced though. Like it was all meant to get Tris to one point: her death.

And yes, now we’ll talk about that. First of all.. I had seen a partial spoiler on Twitter about someone dying. And from the level of outrage, I figured it was one of our two big players. But honestly, I figured it would be Four! I never, ever thought it would be Tris. Now.. Let me preface this by saying that I didn’t cry. I know a lot of people sobbed their eyes out, but I didn’t. I was upset.. My heart was pounding throughout the entire scene. But I didn’t cry. I think part of that was just because of.. Disbelief. I kept waiting for it to not be true. How can you kill off the main character?!?!? It’s just not done! Especially in a franchise as big as Divergent! That’s like killing off Harry or Katniss.

It’s just. not. done!

I wouldn’t say it completely ruined the series for me. I know it did for some people. I won’t be re-reading them. What’s the point? But it definitely took a lot away from the series for me. A part of me can understand why Roth did it, what her justification was. But it could have had a different outcome. Heck, I read a piece of fan fiction that had an alternate ending, and it was amazing!

All in all, what it came down to was this: If this were any other series, if it wasn’t a huge franchise with a huge following, how would I rate it, based on the plot and killing off a main character? And so I went with a 3. Average. It wasn’t spectacular and I’m still upset Tris died. The “messed up genetics” explanation for the factions was just weird and forced. But it still wasn’t a terrible book. It was just okay.

Review: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

Oct30

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes
Published by Entangled Teen on November 5, 2013
Pages: 352
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Olivia

He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don’t care.

At least at this moment, I don’t care.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

Z

I can picture Liv’s face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta.

It was just a kiss. That’s all. She’s just like any other girl.

Except that she’s not.

Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

Olivia Twisted was an intriguing and imaginative modern re-telling of Oliver Twist.

In the beginning, Olivia was withdrawn, for obvious reasons. Throughout the novel, though, she grows into a strong character, able to say no and stand up for herself. There aren’t enough strong female heroine’s in YA, so I loved that Olivia was strong, with a mind of her own. There’s no insta-love with Z, which was refreshing. She was attracted to him, yes, but she didn’t fall all over him. The build-up was slow and realistic. Honestly, Olivia and Z felt like the most believable, realistic YA couple I’ve seen in a long time.

I was not a fan of Z in the beginning. He was too cocky, too full of himself. But throughout the novel, he showed signs of the person he was underneath all that. He had moments of vulnerability that softened me to him, made me like him more. He was like Olivia’s Knight in Shining Armor at certain moments, and I loved how protective he was of her.

I was really suspicious of Olivia’s foster parents right from the beginning. But it was nothing like I expected. I was actually pretty caught off guard by what happened with them. On the flip side, a character I really loved was Sam. She was so fun and easy-going with Olivia, yet so hardened around Z. She had a kind of competitive rivalry with him that almost reminded me of sibling rivalry. It was an interesting dynamic. She always seemed kind of young and vulnerable, despite her tough-as-nails exterior.

The ending was very intriguing. Not only was it not what I expected, but it also broke some YA stereotypes. It wasn’t a cliche happily ever after. I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t go into further detail. But it was one of my top five favorite endings to a YA novel.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved Olivia, I loved the relationship that she builds with Z and I love how realistic and non-cliche it was. I loved that it broke some of the YA stereotypes. I would absolutely recommend this book to others!

Review: Waterfell by Amalie Howard

Oct29

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Waterfell by Amalie Howard
Series: The Aquarathi #1
Published by Harlequin Teen on October 29, 2013
Pages: 360
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN

Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father's betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa's upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age.

Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?

I knew, almost immediately, that I was going to enjoy this book. The premise and plot, at least to me, were very original because I have not read anything like it before. I haven’t really read many mermaid books, honestly. When I was little, I loved to swim and I desperately wanted to become Ariel (*Clears throat* Sometimes I still do… *Coughs*). Yet, I never got into “mermaid” or “siren” books. But someone told me early on, before I even had my hands on an eARC, that this was NOT a mermaid story. At least, not in the traditional sense. That it was so much more than that. So going into it, I didn’t see it as a mermaid story and I was able to keep an open mind about it. And Waterfell didn’t disappoint. There was depth to it – pun intended. Howard’s writing style was enjoyable and I loved the plot and tone of the story.

Nerissa is an interesting character. In the beginning, she has an attitude of being better than everyone else. She can be mean and spiteful and she even talks down to her best friend, Jenna. She doesn’t want to be a princess. She doesn’t want to be a queen. She pushes fiercely against her royal heritage, against her home and her people. She both hates and is instantly attracted to Lo, which is confusing. As the story goes on, Nerissa grows and matures a lot. It takes her awhile, almost to the very end, but she grows up and comes to terms with her heritage, with who she is and who she is meant to be. The guilt of her attitude eats at her, and she attempts to make amends. Normally, I would be exasperated with a character like Nerissa – at least, the character she was in the beginning. But there’s so much growth and character development that honestly, I feel like she’s one of the most realistic YA characters I’ve seen in a long time.

Lo was… Hm. I don’t know how to explain this without giving away spoilers. But he caught my attention right from the beginning. He was arrogant and cocky and I didn’t trust him from just about the second he was introduced into the story. At 66% of the way through (I had a Kindle eARC via NetGalley, so it measured my progress in percentage, not pages), I made an assumption. I wrote it down in my notes. I had a feeling… And, from 88% – 90%, my suspicions were confirmed! If you follow me on Goodreads, you can check out my updates and my flailing over this. I won’t say more. I’ll spoil it. But let me just say… I KNEW IT!!!!!

I absolutely adored Jenna. She was the voice of reason and the awesome best friend. She didn’t let Nerissa talk down to her. She snapped back, fought back and did a good job of “snubbing” Nerissa when they fought. The friendship felt really real. Also, something happens and I was so happy it did! I just think the path her character goes down is perfect, makes sense and is very, very enjoyable.

I don’t know how to feel about Cara. She was supposed to be the “mean girl,” I guess, but we didn’t see her too often, usually just from a distance, scowling or snarling at Nerissa. I actually kind of felt bad for Cara, until she revealed something to Nerissa near the middle/end, and then I just wanted to slap her. We get a little bit of resolution near the end, which is great, but I found Cara more annoying than anything.

The end was awesome. I mean, like I said, by 66% I sort of knew where things were going so that took some of the shock value away. But getting confirmation that I was right? Priceless! And like.. I was dead-on. I wasn’t half-right or sort of right. I was TOTALLY and COMPLETELY right. It was great! But there were still things that shocked me, that I did not expect. I was really happy with the ending and where things left off. It wasn’t a a forced, cliche YA Happy Ending. I liked that most of all! I can’t wait to read book two, but sadly, it doesn’t come out until sometime in 2014.. *Sniffles* But trust me, I’ll be reading it!

I would definitely recommend Waterfell. I can understand the issues some people had with it, but I didn’t see them as issues and they didn’t take away from the story, in my opinion. If anything, they added to the story and made it better.

Review: Teardrop by Lauren Kate

Oct23

Teardrop by Lauren Kate
Series: Teardrop #1
Published by Delacorte Press on October 22, 2013
Pages: 441
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Never, ever cry...

Seventeen-year-old Eureka won't let anyone close enough to feel her pain. After her mother was killed in a freak accident, the things she used to love hold no meaning. She wants to escape, but one thing holds her back: Ander, the boy who is everywhere she goes, whose turquoise eyes are like the ocean.

And then Eureka uncovers an ancient tale of romance and heartbreak, about a girl who cried an entire continent into the sea. Suddenly her mother's death and Ander's appearance seem connected, and her life takes on dark undercurrents that don't make sense.

Can everything you love be washed away?

I had a lot of trouble deciding how to rate this book and deciding how I felt about it overall. It confused me more than any book I’ve read recently, especially since I began blogging.

First, I will say that as a fan of the Fallen series, I can see the ways in which Kate’s writing has improved. I couldn’t tell you in specific detail, because it has been a few years since I read the Fallen series. But I remember enough to realize she has absolutely improved. I found the book descriptive and intriguing, the plot interesting and the characters likable – for the most part.

The thing that got me the most, though, was how long and drawn out the book was. We learn way too much in the prologue. This happened in Fallen, as well. It felt almost like reading a spoiler. And the “Big reveal” didn’t happen until page 388… out of 441 pages.. In addition, a couple of the character’s were very, very cliche and stereotypical.

Eureka was an interesting character. She was a little bit more relatable than Luce from Fallen. She was more down-to-earth and she didn’t have a perfect, white picket fence life. She was broken when the story began which, though sad, was slightly refreshing. I know that probably sounds weird or mean. But I feel like, in a lot of YA novels, the main character lives a happy, carefree existence until the “big bad” happens and everything shatters. I’m not saying that happens in every YA novel and I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. But this was definitely refreshing.

I really didn’t know what to make of Ander. I didn’t really care either way about him in the beginning. The prologue gives so much away, too, that it took away the shock value of finding out his role in things. As far as the other “love interest” in the book, I loved Brooks in the beginning. And then things happened. I don’t want to spoil it, but I did NOT like the direction his character went in..

While I hated her stepmother, Rhoda and the cliche therapist, Dr. Landry, I really loved Eureka’s best friend, Cat. She was the perfect YA Best Friend. I loved the ways in which she tried to be there for Eureka, to cheer her up and make her feel better. I love her role and involvement near the end, as well.

Overall, I did enjoy this book a lot. I know I rated it low at 3.5 stars, but that was due mainly to the long, drawn-out reveal. And some of the characters and their actions. Kate’s writing has improved and I am definitely looking forward to the second book. In addition, if asked, I would absolutely recommend it. What I didn’t like, others might love and I can see the ways in which Teardrop’s ending sets up for an action-packed (I hope) book two.

Interview + Giveaway: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

Oct23

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to have Vivi Barnes, author of Olivia Twisted (November 5, 2013) here for an interview today! Here’s the official Goodreads excerpt for the book:

Olivia

He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don’t care.

At least at this moment, I don’t care.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

Z

I can picture Liv’s face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta.

It was just a kiss. That’s all. She’s just like any other girl.

Except that she’s not.

Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

Hope you guys enjoy the interview!

Question: Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Answer: Olivia must decide if she’ll join gang of hackers.

Question: Why Oliver Twist? What drew you to that classic in particular?
Answer:I fell in love with Oliver Twist when I saw the movie Oliver! during a particularly difficult time in middle school. It became my favorite classic. I thought the story was amazing and really depicted life in those times—when orphaned children were considered nothing more than the dregs of society. I thought it’d be interesting and challenging to do a contemporary retelling of the story from a teenage girl’s point of view, taking into account the innocence of the original Oliver and the deceitful intent of the Artful Dodger.

Question: What scene do you most regret having to cut?
Answer: Hmmm… I don’t have regrets on scenes that I’ve cut. I have a document that I call “Pieces and parts” in which all my cuts are pasted into in case I ever need them, but I never have. I cut them for a good reason, I guess, and move on to create new favorites.

Question: On the flip side, what was your favorite scene that got added during edits?
Answer: Easy – the second part of the first chapter, which is from Z’s point of view. Before I started edits, his POV was missing from some of the chapters. Adding in that first scene really set the tone and let the reader into his world of hacking and his relationships with Nancy and his ultimate boss, Bill.

Question: Which character was the hardest to write? Easiest to write?
Answer: The hardest character to write was Nancy, the “mother” of the Monroe Street gang. I did not include a Fagin in my story as the character didn’t quite fit, and though I loved him in the musical version, I didn’t so much in the original story. Nancy has many of Fagin’s responsibilities and qualities, painstakingly recreated for the contemporary story. I always thought Nancy deserved better than the fate she received in Dickens’ tale, so I wanted to do my best to honor her.

My easiest character was Sam, Z’s fun-loving sidekick who befriends Olivia. Her scenes were the most fun to write, as she doesn’t take much seriously (except when it comes to not pissing off Bill). Writing humor in an otherwise serious story is a welcome relief.

Question: What books would you recommend to a reader who loved yours and wants to read something similar?
Answer: If the reader is looking for a contemporary retelling, there are so many wonderful ones—SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard, TROY HIGH by Shana Norris, JANE by April Lindler are a few of the ones I’ve really enjoyed! Another great book and one with similar tone to OLIVIA TWISTED is DON’T TURN AROUND by Michelle Gagnon.

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: My Macbook Pro (which I love to an almost unhealthy level), music (I have a playlist for each story I write), and a super comfy chair. I guess proper ergonomics is not my thing.

Question: Biggest writing quirk?
Answer: Listening to a strange variety of music when I’m writing, including hardcore stuff like Korn and Nine-Inch Nails. I know a lot of writers can’t write to music with lyrics, but I love it!

Question: Which book was your favorite read of 2013 (so far)? Are you looking forward to any new releases in particular between now and 2014?
Answer: This is a tough one—I have loved so many. One that stands out is DARKEST MINDS by Alexandra Bracken. And at this point, I’m really looking forward to ALLEGIANT by Veronica Roth and IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi. Obviously, I love dystopian novels, too!

Question: Are you working on anything new? Can we expect retellings of other popular classics?
Answer: I’m currently working on getting my kids to bed (easier said than done). Oh, wait, writing, right? ;) I am writing new stories, though there is never enough time in the day to do all the writing I want. I would love to do a retelling of something that hasn’t been done before (or infrequently done), like BLEAK HOUSE by Charles Dickens. Perhaps in the future…

And now for the awesome giveaway, courtesy of Vivi! We have ONE finished, signed copy of Olivia Twisted up for grabs!

-Giveaway is US only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves #10: In Which I was Auto-Approved

Oct21

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Books I Mentioned
Hereafter by Kate Brian
Legacy of Tril by Heather Brewer
The Morning Star by Robin Bridges
Resist by Sarah Crossan
A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
Teardrop by Lauren Kate
Speed of Light by Amber Kizer
The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein
Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris
Panic by Lauren Oliver
Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi
Blackout by Robison Wells
House of Ivy and Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Perfect Lies by Kiersten White

Bloggers/Librarians I Mentioned
Monica Williams

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Magnolia by Kristi Cook

Oct17

Hey guys! I’m so excited to share this amazing, fabulous cover with you! For those who don’t know, Kristi Cook is the author of the Winterhaven trilogy. The last book just released in September.

Magnolia is Kristi’s YA realistic fic debut, and it will be released from Simon Pulse on August 4, 2014!

And now, without further adieu, here’s the gorgeous cover!

Check out the blurb:

In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, the Cafferty and Marsden families are southern royalty. Neighbors since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when a baby boy and girl were born to the families at the same time, the perfect opportunity seemed to have finally arrived.

Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen, for goodness’ sake, not to mention that one little problem: They hate each other! Jemma can’t stand Ryder’s nauseating golden-boy persona, and Ryder would like nothing better than to pretend stubborn Jemma doesn’t exist.

But when a violent storm ravages Magnolia Branch, it unearths Jemma’s and Ryder’s true feelings for each other as the two discover that the line between love and hate may be thin enough to risk crossing over.

And now for the giveaway!

Kristi is offering up this gorgeous Magnolia necklace in honor of her book’s title:

To enter for your chance to win, please read the rules below and follow the Rafflecopter prompts:

-Giveaway is International